Transpacific carriers add charge for low-sulfur fuel

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) said its members will apply a low-sulfur fuel charge beginning on Oct. 1. The discussion agreement of 15 of the leading container carriers said the charge will be based on the price differential between low-sulfur and standard marine bunker fuel and how much time a ship spends within 200 miles of the U.S. and Canadian coasts where they must burn cleaner fuel with a lower sulfur content. Initially the charge will be $17 per 40-foot container to the U.S. West Coast, and $21 per FEU to the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. On Aug. 1, the United States and Canada began enforcing a requirement that ships burn low-sulfur fuel within 200 miles of most of their...